Brake beam assemblies for railroad car trucks are frequently replaced due to wear of the brake beam strut slot surface caused by the brake lever moving back and forth and/or vibrating in the brake beam strut slot. An example of a brake beam strut having a brake beam strut slot surface 27 that has been worn by ⅛ inch or more is shown in FIG. 2. When the brake beam strut slot is worn by ⅛ inch or more, the Association of American Railroads (“AAR”) Field Manual of Interchange Rule 6.A.6 requires replacement of the brake beam assembly.
The replacement of a worn brake beam assembly includes costs for materials and labor. Additional costs include having a railroad car out of service while replacement of the brake beam assembly takes place. Due to the high number of railroad cars and the high frequency of replacement of the brake beam assemblies, the overall costs to the railroad industry is substantial.